RAAF KC-30A refuels F-35A for first time

In a first for the Royal Australian Air Force, an Airbus KC-30A MRTT aircraft has conducted refuelling contacts with a Lockheed Martin F-35A fighter.
The four hour sortie took place from Edwards AFB in California, and saw the KC-30A perform 59 boom contacts. Of these, five contacts were “wet” and included the transfer of 43,200lb of fuel to the USAF F-35A.
flightglobal

RAAF A330 MRTT Combat Debut

As a Royal Australian Air Force Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) continues to support operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the service is placing a major emphasis on getting the type's long-delayed boom refuelling capability on-line.
RAAF Wg Cdr Warren MacDonald says RAAF KC-30As have operated 1,300 hours in support of coalition forces, offloading about 3.5 million tonnes of fuel every month since September 2014.
The combat reliability of the converted airliner, which entered service in 2013, has been extremely good.
All of these refuelling missions have been conducted using the hose-and-drogue method.
Aside from the type's combat debut, 2014 also saw a strong push to bring the aircraft's boom refuelling system online. To this end, one KC-30A was dispatched to Airbus Defence & Space's facility in Seville, Spain, bringing the number of RAAF KC-30As in the country to two. The aircraft performed 160 fights, and made 300 boom contacts.
Both aircraft will return to Australia this year, and by mid-2015 the boom should be operational.
By 2023, only 36 RAAF aircraft will still use hose-and-drogue refuelling, its 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets and 12 EA-18G Growlers. The remaining 100 aircraft in its fleet, including the Lockheed Martin F-35, will require boom refuelling.
This is the reverse of the status quo, as 95 RAAF aircraft use hose-and-drogue for air-to-air refuelling, and 17 use the boom.
Moreover, the boom is essential for refuelling aircraft from allied forces, namely Singapore's F-15s and F-16s, and USAF assets. MacDonald says the RAAF will speak to Singapore later this year about clearing the KC-30A to refuel its assets.
flightglobal

Two RAAF Superhornets have completed first armed mission over Iraq

Two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft have completed their first armed combat mission over Iraq, assisting coalition operations against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in an Air Interdiction and Close Air Support mission over northern Iraq.
The Super Hornets were on-call to attack targets as identified.
On this occasion the aircraft did not use their munitions and have returned to base to disarm and prepare for future sorties.
The Australian Air Task Group’s KC-30A multi-role tanker transport supported the Super Hornets while the E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft also flew over Iraq.
The flights were completed without incident and all aircraft have returned safely to Australia’s main support base in the Middle East.
defence.gov.au

Australia dispatches 7 Super Hornet, 1 KC-30A and 1 B-737 AEW To Middle East to Counter ISIS

The main contingent of Royal Australian Air Force personnel and aircraft has departed for the Middle East from RAAF Bases Amberley and Williamtown.
The aircraft included F/A-18F Super Hornets, a KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport and an E-7A Wedgetail AEW.
Following the Government’s decision to prepare to contribute to international led efforts to disrupt and degrade ISIL, the Australian Defence Force is deploying approximately 600 ADF personnel to the Middle East where they will prepare to respond to future Government decisions regarding Iraq.
defence.gov.au

Airbus still resolving issues with Australia's KC-30′s boom

Airbus has yet to resolve performance issues with its military refueling plane, more than two years after the first examples were delivered, according to the Royal Australian Air Force, the model’s lead customer.
The KC-30A tanker and troop transport has been on the Australian defense department’s Projects of Concern list since 2010.
businessweek

Un KC-30 de EADS pierde sonda de reabastecimiento durante un vuelo/KC-30 suffers testing accident

Uno de los Airbus Military KC-30A de reabastecimiento en vuelo para la Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) se vió involucrado en un accidente, durante un vuelo de prueba, junto a un F-16 de la Fuerza Aérea Portuguesa, y en el que perdió la sonda de reabastecimiento en vuelo, que cayó al mar, el pasado 20 de enero.
Ambos aviones sufrieron daños considerables.
EADS no se ha pronunciado respecto al accidente. La RAAF estaba a punto de recibir las primeras unidades, tras dos años de retrasos en el programa.
key.Aero
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One of the Airbus Military KC-30A aerial refuelling tankers destined for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was involved in an incident with a Portuguese Air Force F-16 during refuelling trials on January 20.
The refuelling probe broke off during a contact by the fighter, with both aircraft sustaining damage. The probe fell into the Atlantic Ocean and has yet to be found.
EADS has yet to say anything about the incident, but the RAAF was due to commence acceptance trials of the aircraft in the near future after a two-year delay in the programme.
key.Aero

Primer vuelo del segundo KC-30 para la RAF/ Second RAF KC-30 flies

El segundo A330 MRTT cisterna KC-30 de la RAF ha realizado su primer vuelo desde las instalaciones de Airbus Military en Getafe, Madrid, el pasado 26 de octubre.
key.aero
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The second A330 MRTT Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) for the UK Royal Air Force successfully completed its maiden flight from the Airbus Military facility at Getafe, Madrid on October 26.
key.aero